Review: Bingham Riverhouse Secret Garden
Review: Bingham Riverhouse Secret Garden
Summer gem in Richmond
Given the summer weather has hardly been glorious, when the sun does shine, make the most of it. One of the top spots to do so is Richmond’s riverside which is host to some fabulous restaurants with dreamy views of the Thames. While many have their terraces out on the riverfront, there’s one hidden gem that offers spectacular vistas from a different perspective.
Bingham Riverhouse has a balcony, which runs from its restaurant to the lounge area, making it perfect for soaking up the evening rays, whether you fancy fine dining courtesy of Steven Edwards’ menu or something less formal with its garden menu. There’s also a secret garden, too – a leafy oasis complete with glass domes you can book.
On our visit, the weather was playing up so were seated inside the lounge – a beautiful spot with period features, modern touches and grand flower displays. You can see the river views and, as we did, you can duck out with your G&T taking advantage of a spot of sun while we waited for our food to arrive. We tried some of the light bites, which were delicious. Crab cakes came as mini balls, crisp, flavourful and delicate. Nduja croquettes were also fabulous spicy pops of flavour.
The garden menu offers two to three courses for a set price. We started with a Caesar salad, ideal for a summer evening, other choices included salmon rillettes with cucumber salad or melon and prosciutto. We tried the Brixham fish for a main – a beautiful piece of sea bass, cooked simply but really well and served with a lemon sauce, and a flavourful steak with café de Paris butter. There were just two choices of dessert, or cheese – we tried a chocolate brownie sundae, a treat for sweet tooths.
While it may offer a more informal pared-back menu than the main restaurant, it isn’t a cheap option. The garden menu is £35 for two courses or £42 for three, that’s really only if you are opting for one of the two veggie main courses. Allow £5 extra if you want the fish or steak. The steak comes with just salad – chips are extra. Same too for the fish where you must choose one or the other side dish, which seems rather harsh.
But there is something rather enchanting about stepping off the towpath through almost a hidden door and into the secret garden or up the stairs to the balcony. Let’s hope we get an Indian Summer to make the most of it.
